After falling UP the stairs today before coming to the retreat, I successfully finished the fourth chapter of my thesis! (Rough start but a good start). I added some ideas, images, research notes, and a Ted Talk video about the power of language and African American Vernacular English (AAVE). My goal was to make sure that the Power chapter was finished before the day was over. I am actually proud of the work I produced today.

I was able to really talk about integration, inclusion, racial microaggressions, and how it’s difficult for people of color to have freedom in a society that is formed around them making sure they do not reach a certain level (or a level at all). I added that I believed one of the greatest forms of power is an educator at all levels. It reminded me of a quote from my favorite television show, A Different World where Professor Wayne spoke to his group of incoming first-year students in his Calculus class.

“Well, I don’t like what’s going on in the real world, and the only way we can deal with that is by what we do in this classroom. My father drives a bus in Brooklyn, not because he isn’t intelligent, because he didn’t have an opportunity to go to college. But you all do. You all do. But regardless of your degree, I am telling you, they will know less than you do because you’re black. It’s not enough for you to be equal. You have to be better, we have to be better. And it’s my job to see that you and we are. I guess I got a little too pumped, but I take this very seriously. So that’s where I’m coming from. Anybody who doesn’t like it, there’s the door.”

Knowledge is power. I am not suggesting that every single African American or person of color has to go to college. I am saying that once they know, understand, and learn their true worth and history of who they really are, then they will have a certain amount of power that society does not want them to have. There are these invisible rules and restrictions that are put on our black children in this country that by the time they are ready to enter into higher education or develop a skill, they are reluctant to do so because for years they were told, “You don’t speak like that hear.”, “That’s not how you say it.”, “Your grammar is horrible.”, “Speak correctly.”, And so on. Power comes from weaving your way in and out, and through these boundaries placed upon you from before you are even born. This Ted Talk by Carey Flack is what I added to this chapter. It gives a snippet of information on what my thesis is about. I suggest watching it!

I get into more on Power in this chapter, but that was a just a small preview of what I worked on today. Tomorrow, I will be writing on my last section, which is Identity. I have a set up on what each box will contain:

Tomorrow, I am hoping to finish this document. After that, I would like to do some editing within all the chapters. Then, I will be finished with my vignettes!

I look forward to it! See y’all tomorrow!